Newsletter
Operation Emberlight – Monthly Transmission
Status: Amazing Growth
Timestamp: August 2026
Clearance: Subscriber Network
Citizens of the Resistance,
Over the past month, the mission has continued to move forward. Sometimes at full speed, sometimes one careful step at a time.
While there haven’t been any earth-shattering announcements, there have been a lot of meaningful milestones. Looking back over everything that’s happened, it’s encouraging to see how much this creative universe continues to grow.
Physical Therapy Complete
I’m happy to report that my physical therapy has officially come to an end.
Recovery has been a long road, but I’m feeling significantly better than I was just a few months ago. It has reminded me that sometimes progress isn’t measured by giant leaps-it comes from simply refusing to stop moving forward.
With that chapter behind me, I can begin shifting more of my focus back toward writing and expanding the worlds I’ve been building.
A Trickster’s War II
Book Two continues to make excellent progress.
I’m currently working with two ARC readers who have been providing incredibly detailed feedback on the manuscript. Their insights have already helped strengthen several scenes and improve the overall flow of the story.
Seeing readers become invested in these characters before the book is even complete has been both exciting and motivating.
The Resistance continues to grow…
…one chapter at a time.
A New Creative Front Opens
One of the most exciting developments this month has been the continued progress of my new Christian Shōnen-inspired manga project. I’m incredibly fortunate to be collaborating with Graphene Cloud Services, whose artwork has already begun bringing this new world to life.
To give everyone an early glimpse behind the curtain, here’s one of the first pages currently in development.
Sneak Peek – Upcoming Manga Project
Early concept page from my upcoming Christian Shōnen manga project, illustrated by Graphene Cloud Services.
Watching these characters evolve from rough ideas into illustrated pages has been an amazing experience. The project is still early in development, but it’s becoming something I’m incredibly proud of, and I can’t wait to share more in future transmissions.
Welcome to the Team
As many of you know, writing is only one part of independent publishing.
Marketing…
Networking…
Scheduling…
Managing websites…
Social media…
Newsletters…
Content planning…
Eventually, one person simply can’t keep all of those plates spinning forever. Because of that, I’m excited to officially welcome Nox Anne as my new Personal Assistant.
From day one, Nox has brought tremendous energy, professionalism, and initiative to the project. Having help with the day-to-day operations allows me to spend more time doing what started this entire journey—writing stories.
I’m excited to see where this partnership leads.
VTuber Development
Several readers have asked about the VTuber project.
Don’t worry… It hasn’t gone anywhere.
For now, development has temporarily shifted behind the scenes while I finish scripting the first several episodes. I’d rather release something polished than rush something incomplete.
The concept is still very much alive, and I’ll have more to share as production moves forward.
Royal Road & Reedsy
Royal Road continues to exceed my expectations. The response to my published stories has been incredibly positive, and every review reminds me why I love telling these stories.
Meanwhile, my monthly Reedsy contest entries continue.
Every prompt pushes me to become a stronger writer, and I genuinely feel each new story improves upon the last. Once the contest exclusivity periods expire, those stories will also be published on Royal Road so everyone has the opportunity to enjoy them.
The library continues to grow.
Balancing the Mission
One thing I’ve learned over the past year is that independent publishing is far more than simply writing books.
It’s building worlds.
It’s building communities.
It’s building trust.
Between my full-time engineering career at Garmin, writing novels, expanding into manga, publishing short fiction, marketing, and everything else involved in independent publishing, there are certainly days where time feels in short supply.
But every project continues moving forward. Sometimes slowly. Sometimes quickly. Always Continuous.
Current Operations
- A Trickster’s War II manuscript revisions
- ARC reader feedback integration
- Christian Shōnen manga development with Graphene Cloud Services
- Personal Assistant onboarding with Nox Anne
- Royal Road publication expansion
- Reedsy monthly contest entries
- VTuber scripting and planning
- Continued expansion of The Resistance Files
“Every story begins with a single page. Every movement begins with a single voice willing to keep speaking.”
Final Transmission
When I first published A Trickster’s War, I hoped readers would enjoy one story.
Now…That single story has grown into something much larger. Books. Short fiction. A manga project. Future multimedia content. New collaborators. New readers. New friendships. The mission continues to evolve, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has chosen to be part of this journey.
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for believing in independent storytelling.
There is still much more ahead. I’ll see you in the next transmission.
— C.J. Riley
The Voice of the Resistance
If life has been heavy lately:
Veterans Crisis Line: Call or text 988, then press 1
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
“Even the smallest signal can guide someone home through the darkness.”
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